A new study has estimated that around 1.7% of people in Ireland have been infected with COVID-19, meaning the vast majority of people have not been exposed to the virus.
It's described as a 'relatively low but not surprising' national prevalence rate compared to some other countries in Europe.
The HSE's study saw more than 1,700 people in Sligo and Dublin tested for antibodies.
33 of the samples tested positive for antibodies - 28 in Dublin, and five in Sligo.
The prevalence rate is estimated to be 0.6% in Sligo and 3.1% in Dublin, with an estimated national prevalence rate of 1.7%.
Of those who were tested, almost three quarters (73%) reported COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath.
More than a third of those found to have antibodies reported a loss of their sense of smell and/or taste.
In total, researchers estimate that almost 60,000 people aged between 12 and 69 had been infected by COVID-19 up to mid-July - around three times more than the officially detected figure.
Dr Derval Igoe, the study's principal investigator at the HPSC, said the results are not surprising.
She explained: "Other countries in Europe, such as Spain and Italy, where there has been a much more intense epidemic, have reported national seroprevalence estimates of 5% and 2.5% respectively.
"This means that the vast majority of people living in Ireland had not been infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus by the time of the study."
Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn, meanwhile, said the study reinforces the message that the vast majority of us have not been exposed to the virus.
He said: "We remain susceptible, which highlights the importance of us not congregating, of us keeping our distance, of us washing our hands.
"For all of us who haven't had this virus to date, if we don't do those things we're susceptible - it's only waiting for an opportunity to be transmitted from one person to another."
